Spring seat construction



Dec-22, 1942. c vs. v|ALL.,sR., Erm.

SPRING SEAT CNSTRUCTION Filed June 26, 1940 Patented Dec. 22, 1942 SPRNG SEAT CONSTRUCTION Charles S. Viall, Sr., Los Angeles, and Stanley Gverby, Inglewood, Calif.; said Viall assignor to said Overby 8 Claims.

Our invention relates to spring seat construction and more particularly to successive spring means that are arranged to successively come into play as increased pressure is applied to the seat.

It is also an object of our invention to provide means for varying this spring tension. Other objects are to provide increased comfort and resilience irrespective of the weight of the person sitting on the seat, economy in manufacture, gen-- eral superiority and serviceability, relative sirnplicity, inexpensiveness in construction, and general eiciency.

I'he invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description. However, the drawing merely shows and the following description merely describes one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of our invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, transverse section through spring means comprised in the embodiment.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a broken elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow A of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a top View of a bracket comprised in said embodiment.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the bracket shown in Figure 7.

l Referring more in detail to the drawing, a framework of the chair is generally designated by the number l5. Front and rear rails of the framework are indicated by the numbersY l2 and |13. A crossbeam parallel with these rails but disposed between same is shown at i4. The cross member at the top of the back of the chair is indicated at l5.

A resilient steel platform l5 is supported within the framework. The front side of the platform l5 is supported by springs il arranged at opposite sides or" the framework of the chair. The springs il comprise coiled portions i8 having a lower projecting leg 9 that is fastened to the framework of the seat by means hereinafter deof the seat.

scribed. An upper, substantially parallel projecting leg 20 is looped through a clip 2l on the platform I5 and thereby held thereto. From the clip 2l the wires from the respective springs Il are bent across at the front of the seat, as shown at 22 and 23. The wire ends 22 and 23 respectively have loops 24 and 25 arranged in same.

The ends 22 and 23 are longitudinally adjustable upon a plate 25 fastened to the front rail Pins 2l and 28 hold the wire ends 22 and 23 against the plate 25 and separate the wires respectively. The ends 22, 23 are adjustable to accommodate different widths of seats to be placed on the platform I5, and dilerent widths of platforms.

The means for supporting the lower projecting leg l5 comprises a bracket 30 that has a top member 3l that extends across the top of the rail l2 and has a front face 32 that is hooked over the rail l2. Pressed outwardly from the stock that forms the bracket 3U are socket members 33, 34 and 35. The end 36 of the leg I9 is bent downwardly substantially at right angles and inserted in the sockets 33, 34 and 35.

The rear of the platform I6 is supported by twin springs 31 and 38. These springs are tapered from end to end and are arranged in upright positions, although slightly at an incline, as shown in Figure 2. The lower ends of the springs are hooked around the rear portion of the platform l5, as shown at 39 and 40.

The upper ends of the springs 3l and 38 are tied to each other Iby a cord 4l. Pulleys 42 and 43 disposed respectively above the springs 3l and 38 are arranged for the cord 4l to be passed around such pulleys. A saddle member 44 rides on the cord 4l. A pull cord 45 connects with the saddle member 44 and is tied to a lever 46 after being passed around a pulley 4l.

The lever 46 is pvoted at 43. An opposite arm 43 of the lever telescopes with a handle member 55. A pin 5I on the handle 56 slides in slots 52 on the arm 49. The front end of the handle 5S is held in position by a wire 53 that has a series of shoulders 54, 55 and 56 against which the handle 5U. may engage. The wire 53 may be fastened on the inner side of the front rail I2 by any suitable means. Brads 5l are suggested in the drawing. A spring 58 resilently holds the arm 49 up against the crossbeam I4.-

The springs 31 and 38 each comprises a rprogressively stiffer resilient portion 6U, 6I and B2. The spring portions are separated by plates 53 and 64 and an upper plate 65 is arranged at the top ofeach of saidgsprings 31 and 38,

Cords 66 connect the top plate 65 with the next lower plate 63, in each of the springs. Cords 61 connect plate 63 with the plate 64, in each of the springs. In practice the cords 66 and 61 may be continuous but are held substantially at their mid-portions by clamps 10.

The plates 63, 64 have portions 12, 13 of their ends bent around adjacent turns of the spring 31, or 38, to maintain the plates in position. The bent portions 12 and 13 are arranged on opposite sides of the diameter of the spring (as best shown in Figure 4) in order to prevent lateral displacement of the plates.

Mid-portions 14 of the ends of the plates 63, 64 are bent in C shape, as shown in Figure 6. Washers 15 having sleeves 16 are arranged against the ends of plates 63, 64, with the sleeves 16 around the end portions 14. The cords 66, 61 pass around the sleeves 16.

'In the operation of the construction, depression of the front side of the platform I6 is resiliently opposed by -the springs I1 and the springs 24, 25. The ends 22, 23 of the spring wires are adjustable on the plate 26, to adjust the spring arrangement to platforms or seat-supports of various widths.

'I'he handle 56 may be moved to any of its positions 54, 55 or 56, in order respectively to tighten the springs 31, 38, to have them at their midposition of resilience, or to permit them to be at their loosest.

When a person sits on a, seat (not shown) on the platform I6, the spring portions 60 first come into play (since they have less resistance to their extension than spring portions 6I, which in turn have less resistance to their extension than the spring portions 62).

The spring portions 60 will probably not be extended to their maximum when a child is supported on a seat on the platform I6. However, when the spring portions have been extended to the maximum of the cords 66, the spring portions 6I come into play.

If the perso-n is heavy, the spring portions 6I will be extended to the limit of the cords 61, and the spring portions 62 will take care of any excess weight thereover.

Adjusting the handle 56 places more, less, or a medium amount of tension in the springs, de-

pending upon whether a greater, lesser, or a mef dium weight person is to occupy the seat.

While we have illustrated and described what we now regard as the preferred embodiment of our invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. We, therefore, do not wish to restrict ourselves to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire to avail ourselves of all modiiications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support within a framework, a coiled spring connected to the seat-support and the framework, and having portions of different strength to be successively brought into play as different pressures are applied to the seat-support, spaced plates, at least one of which is inserted between convolutions of the coiled spring to separate said portions thereof, hook means on the plates engaging the convolutions of the coiled spring to maintain the plates in position, and flexible cord means connected with the plates to limit extension of the coiled spring portions between adjacent plates.

2. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support; within a framework, a continuous helical spring of gradually increasing diameter and single gauge wire connected to support the seat-support within the framework, plates interposed between, and connected to, convolutions of the spring at spaced points in its length, to separate the spring into successive spring elements of different effective strengths, and flexible cord means connecting adjacent plates to limit extension of successive elements of the spring means.

3. In a spring construction for supporting a. seat-support within a framework, coiled spring means of successively decreasing diameter, said coiled spring means being disposed to support the seat-support within the framework, plates clamped to convolutions cf said spring means and arranged to separate the spring means into successive spring elements, said plates having portions projecting diametrically outwardly of the springs, and ilexible cord means exteriorly of the springs connecting the projecting portions of adjacent plates to limit extension of successive elements of the spring means.

4. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support within a framework, a single elongated, coiled tension spring of progressively gradually decreasing diameter but of wire of substantially the same gauge from end to end, to increase progressively the strength of the spring, said coiled spring supporting the seat-support within the framework, separators extending transversely through said spring at spaced points in its length and clamped to convolutions of the spring, for dividing the spring into effective lengths of different strength, and cord means tying together said separator portions of the coiled spring and permitting limited expansion successively of the said effective lengths of the spring.

5. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support within a framework, spring means of progressively different strength connected at one end to the seat-support for supporting the latter within the framework and arranged to be progressively brought into play as different pressure is applied to the seat-support, and means connecting the other end of the spring means to the framework, including flexible adjusting connections and a lever mounted on the framework for adjusting said connections to progressively alter pressure on the spring, to alter the amount of pressure necessary to change the condition of the spring means by pressure on the seat-support.

6. In a spring construction for supporting a seatsupport within a framework, coiled spring members of successively decreasing diameter connected at one end to the framework, means dividing said coiled spring means into successively eifective lengths to support the seat-support within the framework and arranged to be successively brought into play as different pressures are applied to the seat-support, cord means connected to the other ends of the spring members to progressively extend the spring members and to progressively permit contraction thereof, and lever means on the framework and connected with the cord means to progressively extend and pro-gressively permit contraction of the spring.

7. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support within a framework, tension spring members connected at one end thereof to theseat support to support the seat-support within the framework and including successive elements of different effective strength, iiexible cord means connected to limit extension of successive elements of the spring means, cord means connected to one end of said members to extend progressive elements of the spring means and to progressively permit contraction of same, and lever means adjustably mounted on tlie framework and connected with the latter cord means to progressively extend and progressively permit contraction of the spring elements.

8. In a spring construction for supporting a seat-support within a framework, a pair of coiled tension springs of single gauge and successively CHARLES S. VIALL, SR. STANLEY OVERBY. 

